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Itemized: Yuasa Studios Underwear

Every week a different FADER staff member will pick a clothing item or accessory that he or she has lately been spending a lot of time with—or would like to—and write a little love letter to it. We would’ve done a column on who we’re dating but that seemed a little bit much. This week Alex talks about Yuasa Studios’ boxer shorts.

I spent the weekend looking for the perfect black motorcycle jacket at thrift stores all around Brooklyn but came up short. There are conspicuous consumption holy grails in the world—the ideal white T-shirt, the masterfully shaped and lived in denim jacket, the perfect combination of froyo toppings—and some are are easier to reach than others. I have the best beanie in the world and nicest Carhartt hoodie, both of which I got at Grand St. Bakery in Brooklyn, but one that I'd always come up short looking for was the ultimate pair of underwear. I gave up on briefs when I hit the 9th grade, and though I settled for boxers and boxer briefs because I couldn't find anything better, they often proved too baggy, riding up on the leg or, even worse, spilling over the top of my trouser in a soup of sloppy cotton.

I think I found the perfect pair: Yuasa Studios, a new company based in New York that's dedicated to the underwear needs of their city. "It's for functioning in New York," says Michael Yuasa, who along with James Nemastil, runs Yuasa Studios. "Biking, doing yoga, running around." Yuasa's line, available in seven tasteful shades, is minimalism working at its best, paring down underwear to its most simplistic and essential form, with thinner waistbands and higher hemlines so there's no more fabric than absolutely necessary, and functional features like a simple placquet on the front for modesty. I once read that some of the best stylists in the world will paint a model's toenails even if she's wearing closed-toe shoes—just because you can't see something, doesn't mean it shouldn't look it's best. Yuasas are the perfect length, shape, width, depth for layering under tight pants. But they're also made for those of us likely to take off their pants frequently, especially for certain kinds of late night guests. "If you're, you know, taking your pants off in front of someone else," Yuasa says with a smile, "You want to look good! You don't want to be wearing frumpy Joe Boxers."

Another added bonus: Thanks to online shopping, unlike so many holy grails, there's no need to scour store after store looking for them. Check them out right here.